WHY I AM A ROTARIAN

By: Doris A. Lockey

The Story of a Rotarian Volunteer

I rolled out of bed at my usual workday time of 5:00 a.m. on the morning of July 4^th, 2006. I immediately asked myself, “Self why did you volunteer?”

I had volunteered to help The Rotary Club of Lake Conroe (not my club, but a close neighbor) with a rest stop for the “Burn Your Buns” bike ride benefiting Bridgewood Farms, a local facility for the mentally challenged.

I did gather myself together, drink some coffee and headed on over to the home of Rotarians Michael and Kris McBride (an RGHF member). Their ranch was the location of one of the rest stops for the bike riders. My self talk on the way home that day was totally different from the first thoughts of the day as I reflected back on the morning.

“Service Above Self” is not just our motto. Rotarians live and breathe the motto in everything we do. Bridgewood Farms benefited with the dollars raised from the fundraiser, but the Rotarians, friends and family on hand to work the rest stop were the real winners. The fellowship shared was priceless.

I would possibly have never met Kris McBride, who many think is my sister, had it not been for Rotary and another “volunteer day”. When Kris agreed to write the weekly Rotary column in The Courier (our local daily newspaper) she asked for a volunteer from each of the Montgomery County Rotary Clubs to gather news of their club for her. I was the Rotarian to represent The Rotary Club of Conroe. The rest is history and she is truly the sister I never had.

THIS is why I am a Rotarian.

Doris A. Lockey

Past President 2006/2007, The Rotary Club of Conroe, Texas, USA, District 5910